THE INSIDER AUTHORITY ON GATOR SPORTS

Another day, another walk-off Florida hero

It seems every team on the schedule is giving Kevin O’Sullivan’s Gators its best shot these days. But somehow, someway, Florida keeps finding a way to win.

Despite a strong performance from right-handed starter Jeff Walters, Georgia was unable to capitalize as Florida came away with a 4-3 victory on a home run by sophomore reserve catcher Ben McMahan in the bottom of the ninth inning in front of a Senior Day home crowd of 4,932 at McKethan Stadium.

“Their guys did a nice job again,” O’Sullivan said of the Georgia pitching staff. “But it doesn’t surprise me. We knew that they had talented arms. It just so happens that they picked this weekend to throw their two best games.”

After junior closer Kevin Chapman surrendered a run to lose a 3-2 lead in the top of the ninth inning, McMahan didn’t wait long to provide the game-winning heroics. Leading off the bottom of the ninth, McMahan sent the third pitch from senior right-hander Steve Esmonde over the fence in the left-center field. The play set off a wild celebration as the Gators celebrated their second straight 4-3 victory over the Bulldogs in as many days.

“I kind of got jammed a little bit on the pitch, but I guess I got it good enough,” McMahan said following the game, seemingly a bit still in shock from his game-winning blast. “I’ve worked hard this season, and just for that moment, to be able to come through is pretty awesome.”

That McMahan was even in the game wasn’t exactly planned. Starting catcher Mike Zunino went down with what was described as a dislocated thumb on a pitch from reliever Steven Rodriguez in the top of the seventh inning. Zunino remained in for the remainder of the frame, but would exit the game at the top of the eight inning.

“It’s awfully fun to see a guy like Ben McMahan do something like that,” O’Sullivan said. “He’s worked really hard, he deserves today, he deserves to be the guy in the spotlight.”

As for the freshman Zunino, who is hitting .281 on the season, O’Sullivan didn’t immediately know what his status would be, but didn’t expect him to be out for an extended period of time.

“I think he’s fine,” O’Sullivan said. “We’re going to be cautious with him. We’re just going to take it day-by-day.”

On the day the Florida senior class was recognized before the game, it would only figure that center fielder Matt den Dekker would get in on the parade. One of the great defensive outfielders in UF history made a spectacular catch while diving to his left to put an end to the Georgia offensive effort in the top of the third inning. He would then turn around and hit a rocket down the right-field line to lead off the bottom of the frame to tie the game at 2-2.

“At the time we were down (2-1), so it meant a lot to help the team out and get a little momentum on our side,” den Dekker said following the contest.

Putting things in perspective on Senior Day, O’Sullivan noted that the play of den Dekker over the last four years might have set the bar pretty high in center field when looking to future players to fill that position down the road..

“He means an awful lot to us on and off the field,” O’Sullivan said of den Dekker. “We’re probably going to unfairly compare future center fielders to Matt. He’s one of, if not the best players at his position in the country. I’m just happy to see him go out on a good note today.”

Florida got a solid performance from freshman right-hander Hudson Randall, a native of Atlanta, on the afternoon. Randall scattered nine hits over 5.2 innings and struck out five batters on the day in facing an SEC rival from his home state.

“(Randall) pitched good,” O’Sullivan said. “He’s from the state of Georgia. So he’s been looking forward to this start. We’re getting a lot of mileage out of a lot of young players. I don’t care who you’re playing, when you get five-plus (innings) and keep your team in the game in the game, you have to feel good about that.”

The Bulldogs tied the game in the top of the ninth inning on a two-out RBI single by Georgia sophomore center fielder Johnathan Taylor. Chapman retired the first two batters of the inning, but an error by defensive replacement Jerico Weitzel at third base extended the inning. A single off Chapman’s leg put two runners aboard, allowing Taylor to tie the game with a single into center field.

Despite the blown save by Chapman, the Florida coaching staff seems much more positive about the state of the bullpen this week after they woefully underperformed against Alabama in Tuscaloosa last weekend. O’Sullivan shook off that his closer Chapman relented to simply a bit of bad luck, more than anything.

“He gets a ground ball to third, and the ball game could have been over,” O’Sullivan noted. “It was a tough play. It was just one of those days. One ball hits off his heel, a few balls get through the infield on the ground. I think he threw the ball good. (Chapman) is one of the best closers in college baseball. I have total confidence in him when we flip him the ball.”

Chapman earned the win to improve to 3-0, but was relieved after the game that the frustration he felt as a result of his performance in the ninth inning didn’t last long due to McMahan’s home run.

“I was pretty heated in the dugout,” said McMahan of his feelings after he came off the field in the ninth. “(The home run) took a big load off of my shoulders.”

The Gators are expected to roll out freshman left-hander Brian Johnson (4-2, 3.74 ERA) as they go for the sweep against Georgia on Sunday at 1 p.m. at McKethan Stadium. But as den Dekker points out, nothing is going to come easy against the Bulldogs, despite what their record may indicate.

“I expect to see the same thing tomorrow,” he said of the strong play from Georgia to date in the series. “(We) expect to come out here and see a battle.”

The Gators remain tied for first place in the Southeastern Conference with South Carolina. The Gamecocks defeated Arkansas 5-0 in Fayetteville on Saturday.

It seems every team on the schedule is giving Kevin O’Sullivan’s Gators its best shot these days. But somehow, someway, Florida keeps finding a way to win.

Despite a strong performance from right-handed starter Jeff Walters, Georgia was unable to capitalize as Florida came away with a 4-3 victory on a home run by sophomore reserve catcher Ben McMahan in the bottom of the ninth inning in front of a Senior Day home crowd of 4,932 at McKethan Stadium.

“Their guys did a nice job again,” O’Sullivan said of the Georgia pitching staff. “But it doesn’t surprise me. We knew that they had talented arms. It just so happens that they picked this weekend to throw their two best games.”

After junior closer Kevin Chapman surrendered a run to lose a 3-2 lead in the top of the ninth inning, McMahan didn’t wait long to provide the game-winning heroics. Leading off the bottom of the ninth, McMahan sent the third pitch from senior right-hander Steve Esmonde over the fence in the left-center field. The play set off a wild celebration as the Gators celebrated their second straight 4-3 victory over the Bulldogs in as many days.

“I kind of got jammed a little bit on the pitch, but I guess I got it good enough,” McMahan said following the game, seemingly a bit still in shock from his game-winning blast. “I’ve worked hard this season, and just for that moment, to be able to come through is pretty awesome.”

That McMahan was even in the game wasn’t exactly planned. Starting catcher Mike Zunino went down with what was described as a dislocated thumb on a pitch from reliever Steven Rodriguez in the top of the seventh inning. Zunino remained in for the remainder of the frame, but would exit the game at the top of the eight inning.

“It’s awfully fun to see a guy like Ben McMahan do something like that,” O’Sullivan said. “He’s worked really hard, he deserves today, he deserves to be the guy in the spotlight.”

As for the freshman Zunino, who is hitting .281 on the season, O’Sullivan didn’t immediately know what his status would be, but didn’t expect him to be out for an extended period of time.

“I think he’s fine,” O’Sullivan said. “We’re going to be cautious with him. We’re just going to take it day-by-day.”

On the day the Florida senior class was recognized before the game, it would only figure that center fielder Matt den Dekker would get in on the parade. One of the great defensive outfielders in UF history made a spectacular catch while diving to his left to put an end to the Georgia offensive effort in the top of the third inning. He would then turn around and hit a rocket down the right-field line to lead off the bottom of the frame to tie the game at 2-2.

“At the time we were down (2-1), so it meant a lot to help the team out and get a little momentum on our side,” den Dekker said following the contest.

Putting things in perspective on Senior Day, O’Sullivan noted that the play of den Dekker over the last four years might have set the bar pretty high in center field when looking to future players to fill that position down the road..

“He means an awful lot to us on and off the field,” O’Sullivan said of den Dekker. “We’re probably going to unfairly compare future center fielders to Matt. He’s one of, if not the best players at his position in the country. I’m just happy to see him go out on a good note today.”

Florida got a solid performance from freshman right-hander Hudson Randall, a native of Atlanta, on the afternoon. Randall scattered nine hits over 5.2 innings and struck out five batters on the day in facing an SEC rival from his home state.

“(Randall) pitched good,” O’Sullivan said. “He’s from the state of Georgia. So he’s been looking forward to this start. We’re getting a lot of mileage out of a lot of young players. I don’t care who you’re playing, when you get five-plus (innings) and keep your team in the game in the game, you have to feel good about that.”

The Bulldogs tied the game in the top of the ninth inning on a two-out RBI single by Georgia sophomore center fielder Johnathan Taylor. Chapman retired the first two batters of the inning, but an error by defensive replacement Jerico Weitzel at third base extended the inning. A single off Chapman’s leg put two runners aboard, allowing Taylor to tie the game with a single into center field.

Despite the blown save by Chapman, the Florida coaching staff seems much more positive about the state of the bullpen this week after they woefully underperformed against Alabama in Tuscaloosa last weekend. O’Sullivan shook off that his closer Chapman relented to simply a bit of bad luck, more than anything.

“He gets a ground ball to third, and the ball game could have been over,” O’Sullivan noted. “It was a tough play. It was just one of those days. One ball hits off his heel, a few balls get through the infield on the ground. I think he threw the ball good. (Chapman) is one of the best closers in college baseball. I have total confidence in him when we flip him the ball.”

Chapman earned the win to improve to 3-0, but was relieved after the game that the frustration he felt as a result of his performance in the ninth inning didn’t last long due to McMahan’s home run.

“I was pretty heated in the dugout,” said McMahan of his feelings after he came off the field in the ninth. “(The home run) took a big load off of my shoulders.”

The Gators are expected to roll out freshman left-hander Brian Johnson (4-2, 3.74 ERA) as they go for the sweep against Georgia on Sunday at 1 p.m. at McKethan Stadium. But as den Dekker points out, nothing is going to come easy against the Bulldogs, despite what their record may indicate.

“I expect to see the same thing tomorrow,” he said of the strong play from Georgia to date in the series. “(We) expect to come out here and see a battle.”

The Gators remain tied for first place in the Southeastern Conference with South Carolina. The Gamecocks defeated Arkansas 5-0 in Fayetteville on Saturday.